DAY 5: San Marcos

Our day was spent in and around San Marcos, about an hour's drive outside of Managua. Among other things, it was a chance to see more of the Nicaraguan countryside (and to enjoy slightly cooler temperatures because it was at a higher elevation).Los Quinchos
We visited various projects associated with Los Quinchos, an organization dedicated to helping former glue-sniffing street children. Los Quinchos runs various projects, including a farm, cultural center and girls residence in San Marcos; a residence and workshops, hammock-making, electrical and auto maintenance training, at the Casa Lago in Granada, and the intake house in Managua. Its serves more than 200 children in residential programs and street outreach programs, and over the years, they have helped approximately 5000 kids.

Our visit to the projects began with a lunch and an orientation talk given by Marcos, one of the local Los Quiches officials. He gave us background on the condition of street children, and an overview of the various projects they run.Why are there street children?
Street children only became a phenomenon in the 1990s, after the Sandinstas were defeated in the election and the war against the Contras ended. With the de-commissioning of so many soldiers, the unemployment level in Nicaragua soared to 60%; at the same time, the demands of international agencies such as the IMF forced the government to strip away most of its social programs, leaving families in dire straits. One result was the appearance of tens of thousands of street children in a country that had never known them before. Many turned to glue sniffing to dull their pain. Many girls and even boys - at shockingly young ages - turned to prostitution to eek out their daily survival.
Art Centre
One of our first stops was to an art shop where we met an artist who was supported by Los Quinchos and is now making a living as an artist. We bought lots of his works.We got a photo taken in front of a wall on which a mural was painted.Farm for Boys
After lunch at the Los Quinchos restaurant, we drove out into the countryside and visited their farm for boys who have come off the streets.The boys are taught how to raise chickens, turkeys, ducks and other livestock.Some of us spent time in a very vigorous game of soccer with the kids.The kids were more than willing to clamor high up into the trees to pick fresh oranges for us. They even would hop from one tree to another way up there!Yahoskas Girls' Residence
When homeless boys leave the streets, often their sisters and cousins are left behind. Many of these girls were at risk of falling into prostitution. To address their need, Zelinda Roccia established a residence program called the Yahoskas. In addition to receiving a home, love and food, these twenty-five girls, ranging from five to fifteen, go to public school and participate in cultural activities such as folkloric and modern dancing. They also learn sewing and computer skills and participate in the Quinchos soccer league.Cultural Exchange
At the end of the afternoon, we returned to the Los Quincho restaurant and did a cultural exchange with the former street kids. They performed various dances for us, and we did some drumming, singing, and throat singing for them. Giving them Support
We were all so impressed with what this organization is doing that we decided to make a contribution to it. After the performances were done, Elena made the presentation to its founder, Zelinda Roccia. (for more information about the organization and its projects, go to http://www.pronica.org/projects/article.php?id=losquinchos)